Edelweiss Vodka

Edelweiss is made in Austria at the Freihof Destillerie, taking its name and its alpine cue from the mountain flower. The distillery leans on precise multiple distillation, where each pass strips out more of the heavier compounds and fusel oils that carry rough flavour, to arrive at a clean, crystal-clear spirit. The aim is a neutral base that still keeps a little cereal definition rather than going completely blank, and it is bottled at 40%. That gives a vodka that works as a quiet foundation for mixing while keeping enough structure to stand up on its own.

The nose is pure and mild, with subtle cereal notes and a fine freshness behind them. The palate is soft and balanced with a gentle spiciness and a clear line through it, and the finish is clean, mild and long. Its tidy structure suits a Vodka Sour: shake it with fresh lemon juice and a little sugar syrup, then pour it long and serve beside beef carpaccio or antipasti, where the drink's acidity cuts the oil and the vodka stays out of the way of the food.